HTC's new Sense UI to ape iPhone design?

If you can't beat them... make something a bit similar

HTC's possible new user interface for its Android phones has been leaked, ahead of a release next year.

A couple of screenshots have appeared on the web from the Italian HD Blog, which claims to have nabbed them ahead of the launch at Mobile World Congress in February next year.

Word is that they're set to land with a new Android phone from the HTC lot - the Espresso, although we know very little about this new handset other than it might be packing this Sense Android overlay upgrade.

Translucent beauty

The new Sense overlay has translucent application squares holding the application icons - a little iPhone-like, casting doubt on whether this would be a road HTC would really want to go down.

There's now also a direct link to your contacts list, which has apparently been upgraded to make your contacts even more intuitive - we'll be intrigued to see how this manifests.

We'll be out and about in Mobile World Congress to check out this new UI if it lands, and if it really looks like a poor Windows Mobile skin in the flesh.